The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is hosting a virtual public hearing and reopening the comment period on its proposed listing of the Fish Lake Valley tui chub – an olive-brass colored fish found only in Esmeralda County – as an endangered species under the Endangered Species Act.
The public hearing is scheduled for Feb. 19 from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. PST and will consist of a brief presentation by Service staff on the species status assessment and proposed rule followed by an opportunity for participants to provide comments. Verbal comments at the hearing will be recorded for posterity. Per federal regulations, the public hearing is a forum to record formal verbal testimony; it will not be a question-and-answer session nor an opportunity to dialogue with the Service.
Additionally, written public comments may be submitted beginning Feb. 19 through March 23 by visiting regulations.gov and searching Docket No. FWS-R8-ES-2024-0207. Comments previously submitted do not need to be resubmitted; all written comments submitted via regulations.gov and all verbal comments provided during the public hearing will be fully considered in preparation of the final rule.
The Service is committed to using the public involvement process to solicit sound science, new data, and general perspectives on proposed species listings. We are interested in learning about potential collaborative strategies with the State, industry, ranchers, and others to help conserve the species over the long term.
Instructions for Attending the Virtual Public Hearing
The virtual public hearing will be held on Zoom, with a dial-in option for participants joining by phone. Participants using the phone-only option will be able to listen to the public hearing but will be unable to view the presentation.
For Participants Joining by Zoom Web Platform or Zoom App
- Please register for the hearing at Webinar Registration - Zoom
- Participants will receive a registration confirmation email with a Zoom link and optional dial-in phone number.
*If you plan on providing a comment during the hearing, please indicate that when registering. - On the day of the public hearing, please join using the information in the confirmation email.
Interested members of the public not familiar with the Zoom platform should view the Zoom video tutorials prior to the hearing.
Reasonable Accommodations
The Service is committed to providing access to the public hearing for all participants. Closed captioning will be available during the public hearing and a full recording and transcript of the hearing will be published on this event notification.
Persons who use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal Relay Service at 800–877–8339. For additional assistance, please visit Accessibility | U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service.